Loom.



No. 862,351. PATENTED AUG.- 6, 1907.

R. H. SAWYER.

Loom.

APPLIOATIOH FILED H0128, 1904.

Tug: NORRIS PETERS 00., WASHINGTON, n4 0.

'weft in the wrong direction.

UNITED STATES RUFUS H. SAWYER, OF MALDEN, MASSAOHUSETTS.

. LOOM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed November 28, 1904. Serial No. 234,457.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUs H. SAWYER, a citizen of the United States,.residing at Malden, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an 1mprovement in Looms, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to looms for weaving with separate weft lengths.

The particular use to which this invention has been successfully adaptedis in the weaving of matting or carpeting where the separate weftlengths are composed of straws, making what is known as straw matting.

The present invention relates entirely to a means for crimping theseparate weft lengths. that in the weaving of this class of materialwhere the weft lengths are more or less brittle or weak, or incapable ofstanding a great strain, that the weft lengths are liable to become anddo become broken when beaten up into the fabric, thus either, spoilingthe fabric entirely or rendering it uneven and irregular in quality.This is due to the fact that the weft lengths are insorted in apractically straight condition, but when beaten up into the fabricnecessarily take on a sinuous condition as they pass over and under thealternate warps. But the taking on of this sinuous condition necessarilyrequires thatthe portion of the weft lying between the edges of thefabric shall be considerably longer after it is beaten in than when itis first inserted in the shed. But since the weft is beaten in at thesame time throughout its length either the weft will be broken or elseit will be subject to great strain. To obviate this difficulty mechanismfor crimping the weft while it is in the shed and before it is beaten uphas been heretofore devised. In this prior crimping mechanism devicesare employed acting on opposite sides of the weft after it is insertedin the shed to crimp the weft, after which the crimped weft is thenbeaten into the fell. While this prior mechanism (shown and described inthe application of Fredrick E. Arrouquier, No. 176,075, filed October 7,1903) has proved a great improvement over no crimping mechanism at all,yet its use is open to twoobjections: First, it requires the location ofthe operating parts adjacent the reed and in among the warps, where theyare more or less in the way and tend to complicate the construction ofthe loom, and, second, it acts to crimp every alternate The crimpingmechanism being a mechanism acting independently of the warps alwayscrimps the weft in the same way, that is, with the bends or crimpsalways pointing in the same directions, but in the ordinary Weave eachweft must It has been found be crimped in the opposite direction to thepreceding weft. In the use of the prior mechanism this objection doesnot render the device inoperative, or entirely unsatisfactory, becausewhen the weft is once crimped, even if it be in the wrong direction, thewarps when they come to act upon the crimped weft quite readily turn thecrimps in the reverse direction, but, as will be seen, this operation isdisadvantageous, and not one adapted to secure the best results.

In the present invention the crimping of the weft is done by the warpsthemselves, thus rendering complicated additional crimping devices inthe neighborhood of the reed and among the warps unnecesiary, andinsuring the crimping of each weft in the right rlirection whatever maybe the form of the weave.

It is believed that the present invention is broadly new in thefollowing features, as well as ir 'Jther minor features pointed out inthe claims: (1) Mechanism for crimping the weft in the shed by means ofthe warps before the beat up has occurred; (2) mechanism for crimpingeach weft in the shed before the beat up has occurred and in the samedirection as it is permanently crimped when beaten into the body of thefabric; (3) mechanism for doing either or both of the two former thingsprogressively from a point between the ends of the weft to the ends ofthe weft; (4) mechanism for giving a variable speed to thecrimper-operating means whereby the entire crimping operation isperformed during a portion of the forward beat of the lay; (5) mechanismfor holding each weft in crimped condition until just prior to its beingbeaten into the fabric.

Briefly considered, the preferred form of the invention comprises aseries of crimping needles through which the warps pass and which hangbetween the heddles and the reed, and means, such as a series of cams,for operating the crimping, needles. The cams act to move the needles inalternate series, and in opposite directions, and the needles in eachseries operate progressively from the center of the series toward eachend. The movement of each needle takes place in the direction in whichits warp moves in closing the shed, but the movement is completed andthe crimping needle with its warp returned to normal position before theshed is entirely closed. While the cams act to move the needlesprogressively the needles first moved remain in their new position untilall the needles have been operated, when the release of the needles bythe cams occurs simultaneously. In this way each weft is crimped in thedirection in which it will be permanently crimped when beaten in, and isleft in this crimped condition so near to the fell that it is held bythe warp crimped in the open shed, and thus ready to be beaten in. Theentire crimping operation takes eration to the crimping needles.

place after the weft is inserted, after the lay starts to move forward,and before the lay has completed its forward or beating in movement.

The invention will further appear from the accompanying drawings anddescription of the specific mechanism in which it has been embodied.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a loom withsuch parts thereof attached as are essential to the understanding of.the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially incross-section,'of the upper portion of the lay, showing the mainfeatures of the mechanism embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2, save that the reed is removedandthe operating gearing eliminated by the cross-section also appears; Fig.4 is a diagrammatic view showing the central crimping needles, theposition of the reed, and the position of the various warps and the weftjust after the weft has been inserted and prior to the operation of thecrimping mechanism; Fig. 5 is a similar diagrammatic view showing therelation of the parts and the position of the warp and weft just as thecrimping mechanism has begun to operate, that is, the three centralcrimping needles have operated to form one crimp, and the neXt adjacentto the crimping needles on each side have not yet moved from theiroriginal position; Fig. 6 is a similar diagrammatic view showing theposition of all the parts after the crimping operation has beencompleted and before the weft has been beaten in or the shed changed.

The main operating parts of the loom proper need no extendeddescription.

A is the loom side with the heddle support a, in which are mounted theusual series of heddles b, operated in any well-known way, as by meansof the cams b, b and the cooperating levers b The lay C is given itsusual movement by means of the crank c, and the connecting arm 0. Thewarps w are shown as passing from the warp-beam W over tension rods y,to the breastbeam B, where they become a part of the fabric which iswound up on the roller D.

R is the reed and E the comb.

All the foregoing parts are old and form no part of the presentinvention and hence are not described in detail.

The crimping mechanism is mounted upon the lay and comprises, first, thecrimping needles N, N N and, second the mechanism for giving the properop- These crimping needles are mounted to slide vertically in the laybehind the reed, as shown in Fig. 2, and are apertured at their upperends to allow of the passage of a warp through each needle. Each warpmay be provided with one of these crimping needles, in which event theweft will have exactly the number of crimps that it has when beaten upinto the fabric, but in practice, and especially when a large number ofwarps are used it will not be found necessary to provide so manycrimping needles, because the strain on the weft will be removed andsufficient crimping accomplished with a less number of crimping needles.In the drawings the crimping needles are illustrated as applied to everythird warp, but this arrangement may be changed to accord withparticular conditions.

Each crimping needle is slidingly connected at n to a lever P, and theseseries of levers P are independently mounted on a shaft P, which issupported by depending lugs P from the lay. Each lever is alsopreferably provided with a counterweight P, so that the crimping needleN, the lever P, and the counterweight P will hang in equilibrium, andwhen idle produce no particular strain upon the warp. The series oflevers ,P are positively operated up or down, and at the required time,by means of cams acting against a swell portion p, intermediate thepivot and the end of the lever.

In forming the crimp in the weft those warps which pass through thecrimping needles above the weft must be carried downwardly, andthosewarps which pass through the crimping needles below the weft mustbe carried upwardly. Thus two series of cams are required, but since inthe changing of the shed these warps are transposed in position, twomore series of cams are required. These four series of cams are shown asmounted upon two shafts S, S, which shafts are connected by gears T, T,so that they revolve in opposite directions, and one of the shafts isdriven by mechanism to be described and herein shown as comprising asprocket chain U, passing over a sprocket wheel U on the upper shaft S.

The four series of cams are indicated as S S S, S

The series S and S act at the same time, the series S moving thecrimping needles carrying the warps above the weft downwardly, and theseries S moving the crimping needles carrying the warps below the weftupwardly. When the shed is changed and in the continued operation of theloom the series S and S act together, the series S moving downwardly thecrimping needles which have been moved upwardly by the series S and theseries S moving upwardly the crimping needles which have been moveddownwardly by the series S It is found of great advantage, if notessential under ordinary conditions, to begin the crimping of the weftat a point between its ends, and preferably centrally of its ends, sothat the straw will be gradually crimped outwardly toward its ends, andthus the crimping will proceed from the center to the ends before theends are held many 'way by the friction of the crimping warps. To securethis the several series of cams are arranged to act progressively uponthe levers P, be

ginning at the center and working toward the ends. This is secured byarranging the cams in each series with their forward edges graduallyangularly to the I rear of the central 'cam on each side, as shown inthe drawings. The rearward edges of the cams are all in line, so thatthe weft is held crimped until the crimping operation is entirelycompleted.

The means for operating the cam shafts S and S,

and consequently the crimping mechanism, should K is mounted an ellipticsprocket gear M, and on an auxiliary shaft K located at the axis ofmovement of the lay is mounted a second elliptic gear M, the twoelliptic gears being arranged with their major axes at right angles. Theauxiliary shaft K carries a sprocket wheel U A sprocket chain V connectsthe elliptic gears M and M, and a second sprocket chain U connects thesprocket gears U and U An adjustable idler W, mounted on the lay-swordserves to take up any slack in the sprocket chain U. This variable speedbetween the driving shaft and the shaft K may of course be obtained byany suitable mechanical device, that illustrated and described hereinbeing a well-known contrivance for this purpose.

The elliptic gears are so arranged on their respective shafts and sotimed as to cause the crimping movement to be performed rapidly andcompletely during the forward movement of the lay after the weft hasbeen inserted in the shed, and before the final beat up occurs.

The operation of the crimping mechanism will be apparent from theforegoing description. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate themovementof thecrimping needles in carrying out the operation. In these figures thecentral five crimping needles are shown, and the operation of theremainder of the series will be apparent therefrom. In Fig. 4 the weftis shown as inserted in the shed, and the lay carrying the reed R hasjust started forward. Immediately the two cooperating series of cams, asfor example S and S begin to operate upon the levers P, the centermostcams of each series operating first. By this means the central needle Nis carried down to the position shown in Fi 5, and the adjacent crimpingneedles on either side N N are carried upwardly to the position shown inFig. 5. Fig. 5 thus represents the condition of affairs when the camshave acted to move the three central needles and have not progressedsufficiently far to move the next adjacent needles. The crimpingoperation then continues until all the cams have acted and the weft hasbeen crimped from its central portion outwardly to each end. While thishas been taking place the lay has been moving forwardly until the shedis near closing, but has not closed. At this moment the endmost camshave operated on the endmost levers P, and a slight further movementcauses all the cams at once to release all of the crimping needles,whereupon they hang loosely upon the warps and the weft is crimped andthe parts will be in the position shown in Fig. (ithroughout the widthof the fabric. In this condition the weft is crimped throughout itslength, and when beaten in will not be strained or broken. It will beseen from Fig. 6 that the weft when released by the crimping warps is sonear to the beating in point that it is held in its crimped condition bythe warps in their normal position, and so retains its crimped formuntil it is beaten into the fabric. The lay then continues the slightfurther forward movement necessary to beat in the weft. As the weft isbeaten in the shed changes, the lay comes back, and the operationalready described is repeated with the next weft, but the crimping isperformed in the opposite direction with the other series of cams S andS. It will thus be seen that each weft is always crimped in the samedirection as it takes when beaten into thefabric.

Having described my invention, what I claimv as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, means for forming ashed in warps, and means to crimp the weft by or through the warps whenthe weft is in the shed.

2. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths. means for forming ashed in warps, and means to crimp theweft by or through the warps whenthe weft is in the shed, and before it is beaten into the fell.

3. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths. means for forming ashed in warps, and means .to crimp the weft by or through the warps whenthe weft is in the shed, vsaid means acting to crimp the weftprogressively from a point between its ends toward its ends.

4. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, means for forming ashed in warps, and means to crimp the weft by or through the warps whenthe weft is in the shed and before it is beaten into the fell, saidmeans acting to crimp the weft progressively from a point between itsends toward its ends.

In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, means for operating the warps to crimpthe weft when in the open shed and before the shed is closed.

6. In a loom for weaving witlrseparate weft lengths. means for forming ashed in warps, a reed, means for temporarily transposing certain warpsin each part of the shed to crimp the weft in the open shed.

lay, means for forming a shed in warps, a reed, means for crimping eachweft when in the open shed in the direction of the crimp it will havewhen woven into the fabric.

8. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, means for operating the warps to crimpthe weft when in the open shed and before the shed is closed, said meanscausing the warps to act progressively on the weft from a point betweenits ends toward its ends.

9. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, means for forming ashed in warps, a reed, means for temporarily transposing certain warpsin each part of the shed to crimp the weft in the open shed, said meanscausing the warps to act progressivelybn the weft from a point betweenits ends toward its ends.

10. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, means for crimping each weft when inthe open shed in the direction of the crimp it will have when woven intothe fabric, said means acting to crimp the weft progressively from apoint between its ends toward its ends.

11. In a loom for weaving with separate weftslengths, a lay, means forforming a shedin warps, a reed, crimping needles each engaging a warp,means to operate said needles when the shed is open to carry said warpsfrom the plane of the shed in which they are located in the direction ofthe plane of the opposite shed, and thus crimp the weft.

12. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a iay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, crimping needles each engaging a warp,means to operate said needles when the shed is open to carry said warpsfrom the plane of the shed in which they are located in the direction ofthe plane of the opposite shed, and thus crimp the weft, said needlesacting progressively from a point between the ends of the series towardthe ends, whereby the weft is crimped progressively.

13. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, crimping needles each engaging; a warp,means to operate said needles when the shed is open to carry said warpsfrom the plane of the shed in which they are located in the direction ofthe plane of the opposite shed, and thus crimp the weft, means totranspose the operation of the crimping needles to correspond with eachchange of the shed.

l-L. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a

lay, means for forming a shed in warps, a reed, crimping needles eachengaging a warp, means to operate said necdles when the shed is open tocarry said warps from the plane of the shed in which they are located inthe direction of the plane of the opposite shed, and thus crimp theweft, means to transpose the operation of the crimping needles tocorrespond with each change of the shed, means for causing said crimpingneedles to act progressively on the weft from a point between its endstoward its ends.

15. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, means for operating the warps to crimpthe shed, means for giving a variable movement to said crimping means,whereby the entire crimping operation may be performed during theforward movement of the lay, after the insertion of the weft, and beforethe beat up.

16. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed; means for crimping each weft when inthe open shed in the direction of the crimp it will have when woveninto'the fabric, means for giving a variable movement to said crimpingmeans, whereby the entire crimping operation may be performed during theforward movement of the lay, after the insertion of the weft, and beforethe beat up.

17. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, crimping needles each engaging a warp,means to operate said needies when the shed is open to carry said warpsfrom the plane of the shed in which they are located in the direction ofthe plane of the opposite shed, and thus crimp the weft, said needlesacting'progressively from a point be tween the ends of the series towardthe ends, whereby the weft is crimped progressively, means for giving avariable movement to said needle operating means whereby the entirecrimping operation may be performed during the forward movement of thelay, after the insertion of the weft, and before the beat up.

18. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, crimping needles mounted upon the layand each engaging a warp, means to operate said needles when the shed isopen to carry said warps from the plane of the shed in which they arelocated in the direction of the plane of the opposite shed, and thuscrimp the weft.

19. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the lay, one above and one below said series oflevers, two series of cams mounted upon each cam shaft and cooperatingwith the said levers, means for operating the cam shafts whereby thecrimping needles will be moved to cause the warps to crimp each Weft inthe open shed'in the same direction as it is crimped when beaten intothe fabric.

20. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, acounterbalance for each lever, two cam shafts mounted upon the lay, oneabove and one below said series of levers, two series of cams mountedupon each cam shaft and coiiperating with the said levers, means foroperating the cam shafts whereby the crimping needles will be moved tocause the warps to crimp each weft in the open shed in the samedirection as it is crimped when beaten into the fabric.

21. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of lovers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the lay, one above and one below said series oflevers, two series of cams mounted upon each cam shaft'and cooperatingwith the said levers, the forward edges of the cams in each series beingarranged progressively angularly rearward on each side of a central cam,means for operating the cam shafts, whereby the crimping needles will bemoved to cause the warps to crimpeach weft in the open shed in the samedirection as it is crimped when beaten into the fabric.

22. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the lay, one above and one below said series oflevers, two series of cams mounted upon each cam shaft and coiiperatingwith the said levers, the forward edges of the cams in each series beingarranged progressively angularly rearward on each side of a central cam,and the rearward edges in each series being in a straight line,

means for operating the cam shafts whereby the crimping needles will bemoved to cause the warps to crimp each weft in the open shed in the samedirection as it is crimped when beaten into the fabric.

23. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the my, one above and one below said series oflevers, a series of cams on one shaft for moving part of the crimpingneedles downwardly, a series of cams on the other shaft for moving theremaining crimping needles upwardly, another series of cams on eachshaft for causing the reverse movement of the crimping needles, meansfor operating the cam shafts whereby the crimping needles will be movedto cause the warps to crimp each weft in the open shed in the samedirection as it is crimped when beaten into the fabric,

24. In a loom for weaving with separate Weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the lay, one above and one below said series oflevers, a series of cams on one shaft for moving part of the crimpingneedles downwardly, a series of cams on the other shaft for moving theremaining crimping needles upwardly, another series of cams on eachshaft for causing the reverse movement of the crimping needles, theforward edges of the cams in each series being arranged progressivelyangularly rearward on each side of a central cam, the rearward edges ineach series being in a straight line, means for operating the cam shaftswhereby the crimping needles will be moved to cause the warps to crimpeach weft in the open shed in the same direction as it is crimped whenbeaten'into the fabric.

25. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, a series of crimping needles mounted inthe lay and each engaging a warp, a series of levers pivotally mountedon the lay, each lever being connected to a crimping needle, two camshafts mounted upon the lay, one above and one below said series oflevers, two series of cams mounted upon each cam shaft and cotiperatingwiththe said levers, means for operating the cam shafts whereby thecrimping needles will be moved to cause the warps to crimp each weftinthe open shed in the same direction as it is crimped when beaten intothe fabric, means for giving a variable movement to said cam shaftoperating means, whereby the entire crimping operation may be performedduring the forward movement of the lay, after the insertion of the weft,and before the'beat up.

26. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a lay, means forforming a shed in warps, a reed, means for crimping each weft when inthe open shed, means for retaining the weft thus crimped until justprior to its being beaten in. v i

27. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, means for forminga shed in warps, a reed, means for temporarily transposing certain warpsin each part of the shed to crimp the weft in the open shed, means forretaining the warps thus transposed until just prior to the beating inof the weft.

28. In a loom for weaving with separate weft lengths, a

lay, means for forming a shed in warps, a reed, means for warps to actprogressively on the weft from a point he 10 crimping each weft when inthe open shed in the direction tween its ends t0ward its ends, means forretaining the of the crimp it will have when woven into the fabric, weftthus crimped until just prior to its being beaten in.

means for retaining the weft thus crimped until just prior In testimonywhereof, I have signed my name to this to its being beaten in.specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 29. In a100m for weaving with separate weft lengths, a RUFUS H. SAWYER.

lay, means for forming a shed in warps, a reed, means for Witnesses:

operating the warps to crimp the Weft when in the open NATHAN HEARD,

shed and before the shed is closed, said means causingthe MABELPARTELOW.

